Scott J. Hammond is Professor, and Howard L. Lubert Associate Professor, of Political Science, James Madison University. Kevin R. Hardwick is Associate Professor of History, James Madison University.
This collection surpasses anything else I have seen in its
representation of the complexity, breadth, and sheer intellectual
splendor of United States political thinking. I have trouble
imagining how the editors could improve on their skillful blending
of vital texts and neglected gems; of legal documents and literary
treasures; of poems, speeches, sermons, and jeremiads. The European
and American roots of U.S. constitutional thinking are displayed in
a fashion that reflects the best recent scholarship while at the
same time the spokesmen from Indian nations are given the broad and
full presence they deserve. The torturous intersection of race and
politics is explored in well-chosen texts by Black, Chicano, and
Indian writers and through a host of legal documents and decisions.
Conservative and progressive voices, labor activists and
libertarians, analytical political philosophers, and Sunday
editorialists; they all find their place within the editors' lucid
arrangement. This will serve as a superb textbook for classes on
United States political theory, for classes on constitutional
history, and for overviews of the struggle for democracy in
America. It is a great gathering of evidence for those who see the
United States as having a political theory tradition of unique
richness, range, and relevance. --Brian Walker, UCLA
This is easily the most comprehensive, thoughtful, and updated
collection of primary source readings in American political theory.
It covers material typically excluded in existing edited volumes,
particularly source documents for Native Americans, women, and
African-Americans. Not only is the founding period well
represented, but so too are the most recent expressions of American
thought and politics. --Jim Savage, University of Virginia
A fantastic, comprehensive collection of primary materials, perfect
for classroom use. Material is well-organized and presented with
well-written, useful introductions contextualizing the documents
and raising pertinent questions. --Ruth Grant, Department of
Political Science, Duke University
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